Markets slipped as tech and AI names led a broad selloff: S&P 500 fell, Nasdaq slumped more sharply and the Dow lagged but also closed lower. Volatility spiked around Nvidia earnings risk, bitcoin’s plunge and a major Cloudflare outage; defensive sectors outperformed while energy and utilities showed mixed reactions to inventory and grid-stress headlines.
Congress moved quickly to force transparency on long-running Jeffrey Epstein investigations. Lawmakers in both chambers accelerated passage of legislation to compel Justice Department disclosure, escalating political pressure on the White House.
93.8 million – Passengers handled by Dubai International Airport year-to-date, a new traffic milestone.
President Trump hosted Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in a high-profile visit that foregrounded big commercial pledges and fierce questions about human-rights accountability. The White House spectacle set off domestic backlash and fresh scrutiny of U.S.-Saudi ties.
The U.S. government approved a $1 billion loan package to revive the mothballed Three Mile Island reactor, aiming to secure domestic power for large AI data-center customers. The move shifts project risk onto taxpayers and sparks debate over industrial policy and energy strategy.
Apple hikes China forecast after iPhone surge
Apple upgrades China sales outlook as iPhone 17 demand accelerates, bolstering revenue visibility and easing tech-sector strains.
A major Cloudflare outage knocked large swaths of the internet offline and exposed fragility in web infrastructure. The vendor later traced the disruption to an internal configuration error, triggering market angst for internet-dependent companies.
Investors fled high-flying AI favourites as concerns about stretched valuations and Nvidia’s results loomed. The selloff deepened as the market weighed earnings from AI chipmakers and the prospects for a near-term Fed rate cut.
Hydrogen supplier files emergency offering; shares collapse
A mid-cap hydrogen-energy firm launches a dilutive emergency equity sale after missing targets, sending its stock sharply lower and raising financing concerns across green-energy names.
Microsoft and Nvidia widened their ties to Anthropic in multibillion-dollar deals that reshape AI financing and cloud demand. The deals spotlight circular investment dynamics in AI and raise questions about concentration risks in the sector.
Google rolled out Gemini 3 as it races OpenAI and Anthropic for AI dominance, even as executives warn of market irrationality. The launch brings improved reasoning and coding capability straight into Search and enterprise products.
OCC guidance now permits banks to hold crypto for network fees; Congress fast-tracked a law forcing DOJ to release Epstein files; DOE approved a $1B loan to restart Three Mile Island — all reshaping regulatory and industrial risk.
Crypto markets plunged as bitcoin erased its 2025 gains, triggering ETF outflows and broad industry pain. The rout highlighted liquidity strains and renewed scrutiny of crypto’s market structure.
Federal Reserve officials’ comments reveal a split over the economic outlook, complicating expectations for an imminent rate cut. The disagreement injected volatility into markets already jittery about inflation and jobs data.
“No company is going to be immune” if an AI bubble bursts.
— Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet
European regulators stepped up scrutiny of U.S. cloud giants, naming Microsoft and Amazon as critical suppliers and probing gatekeeper rules. The moves mark a new front in EU efforts to reshape control of cloud infrastructure and sovereignty.
Tensions with China are hitting Japan’s tourism and markets as cancellations spike. At the same time, Tokyo’s bond market stresses are adding pressure on fiscal options as policymakers debate stimulus and support.
Japan edges toward restarting a major nuclear facility as local political approvals near. The decision would mark a shift in Tokyo’s energy mix amid power-security and economic pressures.
Oil prices and inventories moved in lockstep as U.S. stockpiles rose, reinforcing concerns about oversupply. Traders watched geopolitical sanction risks and inventory data for direction in an already jittery commodity market.
Kraken closed large funding rounds as crypto firms hunt traditional finance ties and IPO paths. The financing boosts valuations but raises regulatory and market-cap questions as crypto faces a broader selloff.
Warner Bros. Discovery drew suitors as bidders prepare offers, and Gulf wealth reappeared in takeover chatter. The sale process could reshape media consolidation and test deep-pocketed global investors’ appetite.
Home Depot’s results and guidance highlighted weaker consumer demand for big-ticket projects. The retailer’s outlook cut rippled through the retail sector and fed recession chatter among investors.
AI growth is straining power grids as data centres proliferate, raising reliability and environmental concerns. Policymakers and operators are weighing resilience measures as demand spikes this winter.
U.S. regulators clarified rules allowing banks to hold crypto to pay network fees, signalling incremental acceptance of crypto infrastructure within traditional finance. The guidance is modest but pivotal for bank-crypto integration.